Is nursing really a dirty job?

Lovely_RN, MSN · Jan 3, 2009

Yes, nursing is a dirty job. Maybe after you work a few years you can get away from the bedside but until you get experience you will be encountering nasty things. Maybe you will get lucky and get to work in a docs office or clinic and you will have less cleaning up to do but don't think that you will work in a hospital or LTC and not touch anything gross or have to clean up after people. Also you have to go through clinical rotations in school and I know that no nursing instructor worth anything is going to let a student get away with not learning the basics of patient care. This means cleaning up after people, wiping poopy butts, vomit, snot...whatever.

What is it that you think RNs do? What does it mean to you to provide care?

jeninthedesert, BSN, RN · Jan 3, 2009

It is a dirty job that can be very rewarding. I highly, highly recommend working as a nursing assistant. You can get a job in a hospital or a SNF. This will give you some good hands-on and give you an idea of what nursing is all about. In the end, nursing is about the patients whether it is a dirty job or not.

Junebugfairy · Jan 3, 2009

i am in nursing school now, i am getting my rn. :)

ns is full time as well! i do not work. i have a lot in savings and zero mortgage, so for me this is easily doable. i also bartend 2 nights a week, which bring in some pretty darn good money.

nursing is messy/dirty, but dirty/messy does not bother me. sure, i have wiped butts, wiped snot of noses, and cleaned people up, but i consider all of it to be important 'care'. a lot of people cannot do these things, for whatever reason/illness, and that is what we are here for.

nursing is a career of caring, and with that caring comes stress. yes, it can be stressful, but i love nursing, always have.

krenee · Jan 3, 2009

OK, I am not being mean, but based on what you said, I would stay far, far away from nursing. It is very dirty, it is very stressful. I wouldn't do it unless you can get past that. I don't find the "dirty" part relevant - I am there to help people and what needs to be done may very well be cleaning up their feces, vomit, blood . . . guess who does it if they need a disimpaction? The stress worries me as well but for that I think you just have to take care of yourself and be able to manage it.

Good luck with your decision!

Kelly

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Jan 3, 2009

is it stressful?

yes. rns manage and supervise the care of patients. we have to be able to make decisions and multitask. that becomes very stressful at times and that is why the pay is so higher than what other professions make.

is it a dirty job? i dont like dirty things and that's kind of keeping me away, i really do not want to be cleaning up after people. do all nurses clean up?

depends on what you define as "dirty". if you think poop is dirty, then, yes. but i haven't cleaned up a whole lot of poop in my career. if you think vomit is dirty, then, yes. i've had to clean up even less vomit. doctors give patients medications to prevent them from vomiting. if you think blood is dirty, then yes. i've seen a fair amount of blood. i've seen brain matter spattered on the bed linens. that was kind of yucky. i've seen a fair amount of goop coming out of people's wounds as well that looked (and smelled) pretty bad. we always wear gloves and protective covering so we don't get this stuff on us. the central supply department always had nifty stuff to contain and keep the odors down as well. every hospital i ever worked in, by federal law, has an infection control nurse who helps teach the nursing staff how to keep the cooties of all the stuff coming out of patients from harming any of the workers. we have cleaning staffs in most facilities that clean the patient rooms and central supply departments that clean the equipment so it can be re-used. nurses do not wash down the beds and wheelchairs if that is what you are getting at regarding "cleaning up". we are only responsible for the patients and we supervise their bathing. when possible we encourage the patient's to do their own bathing.

would you do nursing all over again?

yes, in a heartbeat. it is a profession where you are

helping others

.

i'm not sure nursing is for you. you haven't said one thing about wanting to

help

others. all i see is your concern about cleanliness and yourself. i'm not being mean, but nursing and being a pa are about doing things for other people and it doesn't sound like you are ready to come outside of yourself to do that yet. most people who are in nursing or work as pa have a fierce need to help others. you have not said that at all.

there are other healthcare professions that don't involve patient contact. look at the business side of healthcare, such as insurance billing, health information management, or hospital administration. these people perform extremely important functions and make great salaries. as we baby boomers start becoming medicare beneficiaries the management of healthcare facilities and insurance programs will be more important than ever. people who can find clever ways to save money for facilities while they continue to provide excellent healthcare will be celebrated. perhaps you may be one of those people. i think health insurance for everyone in this country is only years away from a reality. someone has to manage that kind of program when it comes into existence.

kcochrane · Jan 4, 2009

It really depends on what job you get into. But expectations of not having to deal with "dirty things" will set you up for disaster. Now mind you after awhile most people get used to it. Will you be that person? Can't tell you. And honestly, you will not get a lot of respect from you coworkers if you are not willing to dig in and do the dirty work if needed.

There are so many different types of jobs in the health care field today, it might be worthwhile to check some of them out. Some are cleaner than others. Maybe if you can give us an idea of what you like about being a nurse. That might help us steer you in some different areas.

E.R. Rookie · Jan 4, 2009

I met a woman at the dog park who is an RN. She does research. I also worked for a lawyer the summer before I started nursing school. Lawyers hire RNS as well. I did not find psych messy. It certainly could be but I never saw anyone poopin themselves.

intuition · Jan 4, 2009

Is nursing stressful, I think it can be at times. I am currently a nursing student and work in an ER. I guess it depends on what kind of nursing you want to do. But I do suppose anyone can vomit anywhere.

It can be a dirty job, between feces, vomit, blood and other body fluids, I don't think you can totally avoid these things.

I have heard of nurses working for insurance companies, law firms, and research facilities. I don't know if these jobs require previous floor experience first though.

rockexrolloh · Jan 4, 2009

Like others have mentioned, it depends on what type of nursing you want to do. You could have a job as a nurse that doesn't involve direct patient care, but you would still have to go through it in nursing school. Our first clinical was a nursing home so there was plenty of poo. But from your post, I'm wondering why you want to be a nurse. You don't sound too interested.

E.R. Rookie · Jan 4, 2009

Oh so true my first semester was the dirtiest! The patients need you so much, its very rewarding.

RNMom2010 · Jan 4, 2009

I don't see nursing as "dirty" because a lot of it has to do with normal human functions. That pt who has just had a BM on themselves are probably mortified to be unable to control their bowels, they do not need a nurse or CNA making a big deal about it. It's just poop. You poop too. :-) You go in, clean the pt and make them comfortable and safe from skin breakdown and contamination. You focus on the pt as a person, as a whole and not on the "Gross" or "dirty" stuff. I would highly recommend getting your CNA and testing the waters before you commit to a nursing program. You may find that the things you were so grossed out by tend to get easier as time goes on. But be prepared for stress! Every job has stress, nursing school has stress, caring for another person creates stress. But it is very rewarding to know you have helped someone, and showed caring and compassion!